A HAMPSHIRE council is spending £2m of taxpayers’ money on sending obese people to slimming classes.

Obesity is so prevalent in Hampshire that the county council has brought in Weight Watchers to tackle the problem.

A new £2m programme has been launched which will give overweight adults 12 free weight loss sessions that would normally cost them £75.

The announcement comes as figures estimate that 65 per cent of adults in Hampshire are overweight or obese - with Southampton at 62 per cent and one in three children in the county leaving primary school at an ‘unhealthy’ weight.

As a result obesity-related diseases and health problems are costing the Hampshire healthcare system £330 million per year.

Anyone with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or above will be able to ‘self-refer’ themselves to a Weight Watchers session.

Hampshire’s executive member for public health Councillor Patricia Stallard said: “The issue is a serious public health concern and one of the greatest challenges of our age.

“People don’t have to go via their GP - they can just drop in to a Weight Watchers meeting even if they just think they are obese and Weight Watchers will check their BMI.

“Weight Watchers will monitor progress and use a code to communicate with the council.

“Patients will be expected to lose five per cent after the twelve weeks, with more sessions available if there is a ‘real reason’ for not shifting the pounds.”

Cllr Stallard added: “It’s a way of engaging with people in the modern world. In years gone by we would have given out leaflets or something but nowadays people might be reluctant for whatever reason - but now they can just pop in.

“In Hampshire we have pockets of social and economic deprivation, and there is a direct link between obesity and deprivation.

“But we also have the more affluent areas where people can afford to buy rich foods and go out for lots of meals so it affects everyone.”

Weight Watchers won the contract in an open tender process.

A separate service for pregnant women to encourage healthy eating and physical activity throughout pregnancy is also being introduced.

Jo Measures, head of health at Weight Watchers, said: “We are incredibly pleased to be working with Hampshire County Council’s Public Health team to offer this service to Hampshire residents.

“Weight Watchers has a proven track record of providing weight management plans that have tangible results for those who use our services; plans which can be incorporated into an individual’s lifestyle in a sustainable way.

Our flexible and balanced approach to weight management has helped millions of people find their way to a healthy and happier life,"

"The timely commission comes as estimates on obesity in Hampshire suggest that 65 per cent of adults in the area have excess weight – a figure higher than that of England as a whole.

"The Slimming on Referral scheme is an evidence-based approach to weight management that has been approved by the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence, and patients on the programme will be guided to lose five per cent of their initial body weight."

To be eligible for the 12-week free programme people must be:

  • Aged 18 or over
  • Identified as obese
  • Be resident in the administrative county of Hampshire or registered with a Hampshire GP
  • Have not previously attended self-funded sessions (with a multi-component weight management provider) in the three months prior to referral